The Time Has Come Live Blogging: 8-20-2012 OC GOP Central Committee

UPDATED 9:07 PM- We are now onto bylaws issues and I am done for the night.

UPDATED 9:04 PM- Todd Spitzer is pointing out that the endorsement is controversial and should be sent to the endorsements committee. The ayes have it and the endorsement will be sent to the endorsements committee.

UPDATED 9:02 PM- Charles Hart is now speaking about the work he has done in Santa Ana for both the community and the OC GOP.

UPDATED 8:59 PM- Brett Franklin is now speaking about how Carlos Bustamante is what he referred to as a problem. He is asking that the Central Committee take some time to look into both candidates and not rush to endorse 1 over the other.

UPDATED 8:57 PM- Scott Baugh is making a speech as to the situation that exists when 2 members from the Central Committee are both running for the same office.UPDATED 8:55 PM- The endorsement was pulled and referred to the endorsements committee due to some questions. We now move on to the endorsement of Charles Hart.

UPDATED 8:45 PM- The ayes have it and Devin Dwyer is endorsed with only 3-5 dissenters..

UPDATED 8:43 PM- A majority vote took place to vote on the endorsement tonight and not refer it to the committee. Allan Bartlett has asked if Dwyer would vote to ban anything else. He commented that he wants to ban Allan Bartlett from speaking, ban out of control pensions, and ban excessive overtime pay.

UPDATED 8:40 PM- Council colleague Matt Harper came to the defense of Devin Dwyer stating that he needs him to get re-elected to the City Council because he is solid on every other issue outside of plastic bags that harm his boat.

UPDATED 8:37 PM- Craig Alexander has made a motion to move the Devin Dwyer endorsement to go before the endorsements committee.

UPDATED 8:36 PM- His justification is horrible, apparently his boat sucked up a plastic bag and it cost him $20,000. He is arguing that he has made a lot of good votes including on pension reform.

UPDATED 8:35 PM- We are now hearing from Devin Dwyer who was pulled because of his supposed vote for a plastic bag ban.

UPDATED 8:33 PM- Over 2/3 vote to move the endorsement of Jennifer Fitzgerald to be heard by the endorsements committee.

UPDATED 8:31 PM- Todd Spitzer is standing up to speak against the endorsement of Jennifer Fitzgerald on the grounds that we should hear from Barry Levinson before we make an endorsement.

UPDATED 8:29 PM- Jon Fleischman pointed out that this endorsement is appearing to be controversial and it probably should be vetted by the endorsement committee. Cathy Green is claiming that one person dissenting does not make for a controversial situation.

UPDATED 8:26 PM- Apparently Shawn Nelson is backing Jennifer Fitzgerald which will make this vote interesting.

UPDATED 8:24 PM- Jennifer Fitzgerald is making the argument that she is not a union backed candidate and will stand as a strong Republican if elected to the Fullerton City Council.

UPDATE 8:23 PM- Whitacre called Todd Spitzer, Scott Baugh, and Kermit Marsh Democratic lawyers. A lot of people in the back of the room is making Tim Whitacre jokes right now. I have to research who Tino Rivera is later, if somebody knows please leave a comment. He did not need to go the direction that he did in his speech.

UPDATE 8:22 PM- Tim Whitacre is arguing against the endorsement of Jennifer Fitzgerald and has been quite aggressive towards Scott Baugh during his speech.

UPDATE 8:19 PM- Steven Choi was endorsed with no dissenting votes. Jennifer Fitzgerald is now up for the endorsement and it was moved by Bruce Whitaker and seconded by Allan Bartlett to send this one to the endorsement committee.

UPDATE 8:18 PM- Nguyen is not happy with my live blogging.

UPDATE 8:17 PM- Dr. Choi is pointing out that he didn’t vote to ban plastic bags but instead voted to direct staff to come back with language on plastic bags.

UPDATE 8:15 PM- Steve Sarkis and Jeff Lalloway made the motion to endorse Steven Choi. Scott Peotter stated his reason for pulling the endorsement from the list was because of his vote on a plastic bag ban.

UPDATE 8:13- Mr. Peotter was the one that pulled the endorsement of Steven Choi.

UPDATE 8:09- Kermit Marsh just had a moment of awesomeness in explaining the rules about a candidate getting another chance for endorsement if they do not get it tonight.

UPDATE 8:05 PM- Steven Choi Irvine Mayor also got pulled.

UPDATE 8:02- Call your friends, neighbors, and local candidates. It is now endorsement time. Devin Dwyer in Huntington Beach City Council, Charles Hart Santa Ana City Council, Jennifer Fitzgerald Fullerton City Council, and Cecilia Iglesias SAUSD have all been pulled.

UPDATE 7:59 PM- Gary DeLong (CD 47) is on the agenda because he needs to have both Counties endorse him in order to list the official endorsement.

UPDATE 7:54 PM- We are finishing up some talk about goals for the November election.

UPDATE 7:48 PM- No, I haven’t forgotten about our readers, the presentation is still going on. Endorsements will likely be next. Candidates up for endorsement in case you missed them are in the earlier post by Chris Nguyen.

UPDATE 7:41- Rhonda Rohrabacher is now giving a presentation about goals for the November election in conjunction with Ray Grangoff.

UPDATE 7:36 PM- We are now going over endorsement procedures and Chairman Baugh is explaining how the procedure works and when the deadlines exist for getting future paperwork in for the endorsement. Oh, and if you are reading this and you want the endorsement you had better get it in within the next 4.5 hours.

UPDATE 7:32 PM- Robert Hammond the new OC Board of Education Trustee and Custom Campaigns client (shameless plug) is swearing-in the new alternates and youth associates.

UPDATE 7:28 PM- In a shocking move to open the night, the minutes were approved with nobody dissenting. Although, we need to find a new alternate for Greg Woodard because apparently his alternate has changed his voter registration.

UPDATE 7:26 PM- A lot of candidates are here tonight.

UPDATE 7:21 PM- I have moved the picture of the Hyatt down one slot because it was getting annoying and distracting being directly at the top.

UPDATE 7:18 PM- Thomas Gordon (OC Political blogger) was asked if he had a reason as to why he did not have an alternate and he replied it was because we only have 7 registered Republicans in Santa Ana. Everybody proceeded to laugh.

UPDATE 7:16 PM- Opened with a prayer and Karina Onofre new Republican and candidate for Santa Ana City Council in Ward 5 led the Pledge of Allegiance. We are now figuring out who all is here.

UPDATE 7:13 PM- The meeting has been begun.

UPDATE 7:05 PM- The best way to make sure that you are up to date on what we have written is to keep hitting refresh.

Meeting appears to be running a bit late but we are here and ready to cover everything. Nguyen dragged himself down here to watch the meeting and he pointed out that 7:00 really means 7:30.